Report: Missouri governor coerced woman into sex

By

Ray Downs

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens talks at the State Capitol in Jefferson City, Mo., on January 22. Wednesday, Missouri's state House committee released a report with testimony from the woman he had an affair with. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

April 11 (UPI) -- A Missouri state House committee published a report Wednesday that includes testimony from a woman who says Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens threatened to release a nude photo of her if she didn't have sex with him.

Greitens is already facing felony charges for invasion of privacy for allegedly transmitting a nude photo of the woman, which officials say he took without her consent during an affair in 2015. The report increases the possibility of impeachment proceedings against the governor.

According to the report, the unidentified woman said she and Greitens met at a hair salon she worked at, and where he was a regular customer for two years, before their first sexual encounter. The woman said it occurred when he invited her to his house when his wife was out of town and convinced her to do a workout with him.

"I thought this was going to be some sort of, like, sexy workout," woman said in the report.

The woman said Greitens had her change into workout clothes and led her to the basement, where he tied her wrists to pull-up rings, blindfolded her and spit into her mouth without her consent.

"[H]e said, First, before we start a workout, you have to be hydrated and puts water in his mouth and tries to spit it in my mouth, at which point I realized he's trying to kiss me, but I don't even want to kiss him," the woman said. "So I just spit it out. He does it and he's like, You're not going to be a bad girl, are you? Tries to do it again, to which I just let it dribble out, because I didn't even want to kiss him."

The woman said Greitens started kissing her body, tore open her t-shirt and pulled down her pants -- also without her consent.

"You're not going to mention my name," Greitens said, according to the woman. "Don't even mention my name to anybody at all, because if you do, I'm going to take these pictures, and I'm going to put them everywhere I can. They are going to be everywhere, and then everyone will know what a little whore you are."

The woman said Greitens spanked her to make her agree not to mention his name.

"I was definitely fearful," the woman said. "I was so embarrassed and ashamed, because I really felt like a whore because I had let him get me in this position before we've even kissed. I felt really used."

The woman said she tried to leave and was "uncontrollably crying," but Greitens insisted she stay and unbuttoned his pants to insinuate he wanted oral sex. The woman said she didn't want to perform oral sex but did so because she felt "coerced."

"I felt as though that would allow me to leave," she said. "That's what he wanted -- I felt that's what he wanted."

After the report was released, Missouri lawmakers from both parties denounced the findings.

"The testimony outlined in the report is beyond disturbing," said Republican House Speaker Todd Richardson.

"He clearly used his power to manipulate her," said Democratic Floor Leader Gail Beatty, according to CNN. "I think what we have seen so far is grounds for impeachment."

Greitens did not testify in the state House report. In January, he admitted to having an affair but denied any blackmail attempts.